Turning Coffee into Champagne

Camlaw Stakes Grade 2
Eight and a half Furlongs
Sloppy Dirt
Grade 2 – $250,000

A large number of luminary sires are represented in this grueling test of juvenile stamina. The race brings together both experienced and successful campaigners and rising stars stepping up in class for the first time. To the victor go the spoils of a black type racing record and the promise of an even brighter future.

The field comprises :

PP1 EAGLE WOLF (Griffinite X Meadow Monster)
Owner – graywolf17
Jockey – K Griggs
Formline – 2106
Odds – 15/1

Her debut win came in an ungraded stakes over 5.5 furlongs three starts ago. She has subsequently been unable to match strong opposition in grade 1 and 3 races and may find the step up in distance not to her liking.

PP2 EMPEROR’S CODE (Empire Maker X Lost Code)
Owner – correction
Jockey – W Turnbull
Formline – 1
Odds – 11/1

Has had only the one start in winning a sprint MSW. Emperor’s Code will be taking a great leap into the unknown, stepping up four furlongs in distance and into an entirely different class of opposition.

PP3 CANADIAN GOLD (Touch Gold X Gone West)
Owner – pher
Jockey – YA Jones
Formline – 11
Odds – 6/1

Boasting a 100% record from dual 7 furlong wins in Japan, Canadian Gold’s trainer is putting it all on the line with the rise in class of this race. The way she has run home suggests that the additional distance will suit but she is likely to get further back in this larger field and will have plenty of swooping company to contend with.

PP4 WHIP SMART (Stravinsky X Seattle Slew)
Owner – wistful
Jockey – W Farthing
Formline – 11192
Odds – 6/1

Whip Smart is stepping up to grade level for the first time. She has moved effortlessly through her classes when winning her first three starts and ran home strongly in half length defeat at seven furlongs at her last start. Would expect her to take up a mid-field position in this race and make her presence felt in the concluding stages.

PP5 CRIMSON EXPRESS(IRE) (Giant’s Causeway X Kingmambo)
Owner – socko
Jockey – M Mason
Formline – 31314
Odds – 8/1

This impeccably bred filly has been storming home in her races. A barnstorming win in a grade 3 over 7.5 furlongs two starts ago was followed by a fast finishing fourth over 7.5 furlongs last start. Will relish the additional furlong but could easily get too far out of her ground in this larger field.

PP6 COFFEE (Housebuster X Seattle Slew)
Owner – catomine
Jockey – P Jones
Formline – 12148
Odds – 6/1

Had a strong win in Grade 2 Landaluce Stakes over 6 furlongs three starts ago, following the narrowest of defeats in a grade 2. She was not disgraced when beaten under four lengths over 7 furlongs in a grade 1 at her last start. Expect to take up a prominent position in the running of this race. Has secured a top jockey and can be expected to secure a handy position in running and be rated well by her hoop.

PP7 CORPUS CHRISTI(IRE) (Century City X Mr. Prospector)
Owner – wistful2
Jockey – S Marts
Formline – 23110
Odds – 20/1

Had been a model of consistency at her first four starts before failing at grade 3 level last time out. Has an eight furlong win to her credit but is facing a huge task in this field. Could be prominent early but will have to improve to finish in the money.

PP8 AFLEET’S SHADES (Northern Afleet X Fly So Free)
Owner – hillside
Jockey – F Stephenson
Formline – 1381
Odds – 17/1

One of the less fashionably bred horses in the race, Afleet’s Shades scored a handsome ungraded stakes win on a bog track at her last start. She is stepping up in grade and quality of opposition and will be facing her stiffest task so far.

PP9 CASA BONITA (Forestry X Capote)
Owner – ravencard
Jockey – S Jacobsson
Formline – 101
Odds – 5/1

Will be making a big jump in distance and class in tackling this race. Has been finishing off her races stylishly and is coming off a strong 6.5 furlong ungraded stakes win at her last start. Looks capable of having a hand in the finish.

PP10 THIRSTY HANSEL (Hansel X A.P. Indy)
Owner – sunairfarm
Jockey – J Jacobsson
Formline – 311
Odds – 12/1

Thirsty Hansel scored a rollicking all-the-way win at seven furlongs at her first allowance try last start. She has never been out of the placings and can be expected to give a cheeky showing in this event.

PP11 K’S KOPPOLA (Sadler’s Wells X Mill Reef)
Owner – ledwith2
Jockey – R Lyles
Formline – 1111
Odds – 6/1

Has progressed majestically through the classes with four consecute wins. A bold front-runner, she scored an ungraded stakes win at her last start in smart time. Looks a natural leader in this event and will be hard to run down.

PP12 SADFLY’S WESTIE (Sadler’s Wells X Gone West)
Owner – magfly
Jockey – M Santos
Formline – 331
Odds – 6/1

Has taken a little while to come to hand but scored impressively in an 8 furlong MSW at her last start in a very handy time. Will settle backward of mid-field but will be rattling home strongly at the business end of this race.

The proven class horses of this race are Coffee and Crimson Express but K’s Koppola is a real star in the making. I would expect that K’s Koppola will take up the running from Thirsty Hansel, with Coffee taking up a handy position just behind. I can see a stirring finish on offer with Coffee joining K’s Koppola in the stretch. Expect strong late charges from Canadian Gold, Casa Bonita, Whip Smart and Crimson Express. In a mass finish it will be Coffee by a nostril from K’s Koppola with Crimson Express charging home for the minor placing.

Save a bottle of the champagne for me.